1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of cultivar of the ornamental shrub, Lagerstroemia indica, commonly known as crape myrtle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The crape myrtle shrub is native to eastern China and was introduced into North America in the late 1700s. Since then, this popular ornamental shrub has been grown extensively throughout the continent. Over the years, seedlings and hybrids between L. indica and L. fauriei, have been selected for various growth forms, flower colors, or other features and propagated asexually. An assortment of methods have been utilized in attempting to develop improved varieties of crape myrtles, at least several of which have had U.S. Plant Pats. issued.
For example, U.S. Plant Pat. 4,182, U.S. Plant Pat. 4,183, U.S. Plant Pat. 4,184, and U.S. Plant Pat. 4,185 disclose and claim a series of four new varieties of Lagerstroemia indica produced by crossing previously known varieties. Each of these new varieties was characterized as having a weeping growth habit at maturity. U.S. Plant Pat. 5,302 also discloses a new variety of crape myrtle exhibiting a weeping growth habit at maturity.
U.S. Plant Pat. 6,365 discloses a variety of crape myrtle derived from seedlings that had been treated with a mutation inducing chemical. The plant was characterized as having variegated pink flowers bordered by pure white and flowering over an extremely long period of time.
It is generally known that ethylmethane sulfonic acid methyl ester, EMS, is capable of producing plant mutations. EMS sometimes induces partial or complete sterility in the mutant plant and the mutants often have thicker than normal leaves and variegated flowers, with an occasional flower that is a solid color among the predominantly variegated flowers. The new variety of crape myrtle of the present invention may be such a mutant.